A venom that can kill you in hours could soon be used to save lives.
Australian scientists have developed a drug candidate from a molecule in the venom of the Fraser Island funnel-web spider to prevent damage caused by heart attacks.
The discovery was made by a team led by Dr Nathan Palpant and Professor Glenn King from The University of Queensland and Professor Peter Macdonald from Sydney s Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
New research by the University of Queensland has discovered the venom of the Fraser Island funnel-web spider (pictured) can prevent damage caused by heart attacks
Dr Palpant said the drug candidate, a protein called Hi1a, worked by stopping a death signal sent from the heart after an attack when blood flow to the organ is reduced.
FRASER ISLAND FUNNEL WEB SPIDER - AAP
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A venom that can kill you in hours could soon be used to save lives.
Australian scientists have developed a drug candidate from a molecule in the venom of the Fraser Island funnel-web spider to prevent damage caused by heart attacks.
The discovery was made by a team led by Dr Nathan Palpant and Professor Glenn King from The University of Queensland and Professor Peter Macdonald from Sydney s Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Dr Palpant said the drug candidate, a protein called Hi1a, worked by stopping a death signal sent from the heart after an attack when blood flow to the organ is reduced.